Role: Creative Direction, Illustration, Editorial
I led the creative direction for Storms of Life, a handcrafted animated trailer introducing a Sunday teaching series about navigating life’s storms. Working from a script developed by a contracted writer, I established the visual tone, narrative flow, and overall creative approach for the piece.
I collaborated closely with our animator, who developed the static animatic, drawing asset plan, and asset log that mapped out the animation sequence. Using these as a guide, I hand‑illustrated all primary character artwork, digitally scanning and preparing each piece for the animation pipeline. The animator then colorized the characters and created the atmospheric elements—waves, clouds, and environmental motion—bringing depth and movement to the world.
I secured and directed the voice talent through my network and selected the music bed to shape the emotional arc. The voice talent – who is also a vocalist – contributed the song of the siren, which was mixed into the music bed. After animation was complete, I assembled the final cut, editing together visuals, narration, music, and opening titles into a cohesive, cinematic trailer.
The final piece delivered a warm, story‑driven introduction that set the emotional tone for the Storms of Life: Who Will Guide You Safely Home teaching series.